Covering for flower pot and floral grouping

ABSTRACT

A cover for use with a flower pot having a floral grouping disposed therein. The cover includes a sheet of material having a sheet extension connected to an outer peripheral surface thereof. The sheet of material is formed into a pot cover for covering the flower pot and the sheet extension extends over the floral grouping.

CROSS-RELATED REFERENCES

This invention is a continuation of copending application U.S. Ser. No.09/325,238, filed Jun. 3, 1999, entitled "COVERING FOR FLOWER POT ANDFLORAL GROUPING"; which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/021,215,filed Feb. 10, 1998, entitled "COVERING FOR FLOWER POT AND FLORALGROUPING"; which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 08/971,206, filedNov. 14, 1997, entitled "COVERING FOR FLOWER POT AND FLORAL GROUPING",now U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,898, issued Sep. 28, 1999; which is acontinuation of U.S. Ser. No. 08/526,335, filed Sep. 11, 1995, entitled"COVERING FOR FLOWER POT AND FLORAL GROUPING", now U.S. Pat. No.5,699,648, issued Dec. 23, 1997; which is a continuation of U.S. Ser.No. 08/183,010, filed Jan. 14, 1994, entitled "COVERING FOR FLOWER POTAND FLORAL GROUPING", now U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,758, issued Jan. 2, 1996;which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 08/001,001, filed Jan. 6, 1993,entitled "COVERING FOR FLOWER POT AND FLORAL GROUPING", now U.S. Pat.No. 5,307,606, issued May 3, 1994.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to coverings for flower potsand, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a covering fora flower pot having a sheet extension for extending about a floralgrouping disposed in the flower pot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sheet of material with a sheet extensionconnected thereto constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a flower pot having a floral groupingdisposed therein.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the sheet of material formed into a potcover with the sheet extension connected thereto.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view showing the flower pot of FIG. 2disposed in the pot cover of FIG. 3 with the sheet extension formedabout the floral grouping.

FIG. 5 is plan view of a modified sheet of material with a modifiedsheet extension connected thereto.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the sheet of material of FIG. 5 formedinto the pot cover and having the flower pot of FIG. 2 disposed in thepot cover with the sheet extension formed about the floral grouping.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, as shown therein and designated by the generalreference numeral 10 is a sheet of material constructed in accordancewith the present invention. The sheet of material 10 shown in FIG. 1 hasan upper surface 12, a lower surface 14 (FIG. 3), a first end 16, asecond end 18, a first side 20 and a second side 22. The ends 16 and 18cooperate with the sides 20 and 22 to define an outer perimeter 24 ofthe sheet of material 10. The outer perimeter 24 of the sheet ofmaterial 10 is defined by perforations 26, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, a sheet extension 28 is connected to theouter perimeter 24 of the sheet of material 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and3, the sheet extension 28 extends a distance outwardly from the outerperimeter 24 of the sheet of material 10. The sheet extension 28 has afirst end 30, a second end 32, a first side 34 and a second side 36. Aportion of the sheet extension 28 extends a distance outwardly from thefirst end 16 of the sheet of material 10 terminating with the first end30 of the sheet extension 28. Another portion of the sheet extension 28extends a distance outwardly from the second end 18 of the sheet ofmaterial 10 terminating with the second end 32 of the sheet extension28. Yet another portion of the sheet extension 28 extends a distanceoutwardly from the first side 20 of the sheet of material 10 terminatingwith the first side 34 of the sheet extension 28. Still another portionof the sheet extension 28 extends a distance outwardly from the secondside 22 of the sheet of material 10 terminating with the second side 36of the sheet extension 28.

The sheet extension 28 cooperates with the sheet of material 10 todefine a generally square or rectangularly shaped sheet with theperforations 26 being disposed in a central portion of the sheet anddefining the outer perimeter 24 of the sheet of material 10. Preferably,the sheet of material 10 and the sheet extension 28 are unitary andformed from a single sheet or plies or multiple sheets one on top of theother which may or may not be laminated.

The sheet of material 10 and the sheet extension 28 are constructed fromany suitable flexible material that is capable of being wrapped about afloral grouping and formed into the covering, as described herein.Preferably, the sheet of material 10 and the sheet extension 28 areconstructed of a material selected from a group of materials consistingof paper, metal foil, cloth (natural or synthetic), denim, burlap orpolymer film or combinations thereof.

The term "polymer film" as used herein means any polymer film. Forexample, but not by way of limitation, one polymer film is apolypropylene film. Another example of a polymer film, but not by way oflimitation, is cellophane.

The sheet of material 10 and the sheet extension 28 have a thickness ina range from about 0.1 mil to about 30 mil. Preferably, the sheet ofmaterial 10 and the sheet extension 28 have a thickness in a range fromabout 0.1 mil to about 5 mil.

The sheet of material 10 and the sheet extension 28 may be any shape anda rectangular shape is shown in FIG. 1 only by way of example. The sheetof material 10 and the sheet extension 28 for example only may besquare, rectangular, circular or any other geometric shape such as heartshaped for example only.

The sheet of material 10 and the sheet extension 28 may be constructedof a single layer of material or a plurality of layers of the same ordifferent types of materials. Any thickness of the sheet of material 10and the sheet extension 28 may be utilized in accordance with thepresent invention as long as the sheet of material 10 and the sheetextension 28 is wrappable about a floral grouping and formable into thecovering, as described herein. The layers of material comprising thesheet of material 10 and the sheet extension 28 may be connectedtogether or laminated or may be separate layers.

The covering of the present invention is particularly constructed to beused with a pot 38 (FIG. 2). The pot 38 has a top 40, a bottom 42 withan opening through the top 40 forming a receiving space 44 within thepot 38. The pot 38 also has an outer peripheral surface 46. As shown inFIG. 2, the pot 38 is generally cylindrically shaped. However, the pot38 may be any shape as may be desired in a particular application.

A floral grouping 48 is disposed at least partially within the receivingspace 44 of the pot 38, as shown in FIG. 2. The floral grouping 48 has astem end 50 and a bloom end 52. In one embodiment as shown in FIG. 2,material such as soil 54 is disposed in the receiving space 44 and aportion of the stem end 50 extends into the soil 54. The floral groupingextends a distance upwardly from the top 40 of the pot 38 terminatingwith the bloom end 52.

"Floral grouping" as used herein means cut fresh flowers, artificialflowers, a single flower, other fresh and/or artificial plants or otherfloral materials and may include other secondary plants and/orornamentation which add to the aesthetics of the overall floralgrouping.

A decorative pattern, such as a color and/or an embossed pattern, and/orother decorative surface ornamentation may be applied to the uppersurface 12 and/or the lower surface 14 of the sheet of material 10 orportions thereof including, but not limited to printed design, coatings,colors, flocking or metallic finishes. The sheet of material 10 also maybe totally or partially clear or tinted transparent material. The sheetextension 28 is transparent, although a decorative pattern also may beapplied to the sheet extension 28.

The sheet of material 10 with the sheet extension 28 connected theretois placed between a male and a female die or other forming system andformed into a pot cover 56 (FIG. 3). As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the potcover 56 has a top 58, a closed bottom 60 and a cover opening 62 (FIG.3) formed through the top 58 and extending through the top 58 a distancetoward the bottom 60 of the pot cover 56 providing a pot receiving space64 (FIG. 3). The pot receiving space 64 is shaped and adapted to receivethe pot 38.

The pot cover 56 has a plurality of overlapping folds 66 (FIG. 3) witheach of the overlapping folds 66 extending at various distances and atvarious angles over an outer peripheral surface 68 (FIG. 3) of the potcover 56 extending between the top 58 and the bottom 60. The overlappingfolds 66 extend at various angles and over various distances over theouter peripheral surface 68.

The pot cover 56 includes a base portion 67 and a skirt portion 70. Thebase portion 67 has an upper end 69 and is dimensioned to encompass atleast a portion of the outer peripheral surface 46 of the pot 38 whenthe pot 38 is disposed in the pot receiving space 64 of the pot cover56. (FIGS. 3 and 4). The skirt portion 70 extends from the upper end 69of the base portion 67 radially outwardly with an outer perimeter 76 ofthe skirt portion 70 being formed by the outer perimeter 24 of the sheetof material 10. The perforations 26 extend along the outer perimeter 76of the skirt portion 70 formed by the outer perimeter 24 of the sheet ofmaterial 10. The perforations may be angularly arranged, such as theperforations 26 shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 which provide a non-linearouter perimeter 76 of the skirt portion 70, or the perforations may becurved, such as the perforations 26a shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 whichprovide a curved outer perimeter 76a of the skirt portion 70a.

The overlapping folds 66 may be connected or at least partiallyconnected. The connection of the overlapping folds 66 may beaccomplished by using heat sealing material and heat sealing theoverlapping folds 66 or by adhesively or cohesively connecting theoverlapping folds 66.

A pot cover constructed in the manner just described with respect to thepot cover 56 and a system for forming such a pot cover is disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 4,773,182, entitled, Article Forming System, issued toWeder, et al, Sep. 27, 1988, and the disclosure of this patentspecifically hereby is incorporated herein by reference.

The pot 38 is placed in the pot receiving space 64 and positioned in thepot cover 56 such that the bottom 42 of the pot 38 is disposed generallyadjacent the bottom 60 of the pot cover 56. The base portion 67 of thepot cover 56 substantially encompasses the entire outer peripheralsurface 46 of the pot 38 including the bottom 42. The base portion 67 ofthe pot cover 56 extends from the bottom 42 to the top 40 of the pot 38.The skirt portion 70 extends radially outwardly from the upper end 69 ofthe base portion 67.

After the pot 38 has been placed in the pot cover 56, the sheetextension 28 forms an upper sleeve portion 71 which is formed about thefloral grouping 48 to a position wherein the upper sleeve portion 71covers and encompasses a substantial portion of the floral grouping 48including the bloom end 52 of the floral grouping 48.

The upper sleeve portion 71 preferably includes a bonding material 72(FIG. 1) disposed on an upper surface 73 of the upper sleeve portion 71and extending about an outer perimeter 75 of the upper sleeve portion71. After the upper sleeve portion 71 has been formed about the floralgrouping 48, at least a portion of the outer perimeter 75 of the uppersleeve portion 71 is bonded together to provide a closed end 74 of theupper sleeve portion 71 of the pot cover 56 (FIG. 4).

The term "bonding material" as used herein means an adhesive, preferablya pressure sensitive adhesive, or a cohesive. Where the bonding materialis a cohesive, a similar cohesive material must be placed on theadjacent surface for bondingly contacting and bondingly engaging withthe cohesive material. The term "bonding material" also includesmaterials which are heat sealable and, in this instance, the adjacentportions of the material must be brought into contact and then heat mustbe applied to effect the seal. The term "bonding material" as usedherein also means a heat sealing lacquer which may be applied to thesheet of material and, in this instance, heat also must be applied toeffect the sealing. The term "bonding material" as used herein means anytype of material or thing which can be used to effect the bonding orconnecting of the two adjacent portions of the material or sheet ofmaterial to effect the connection or bonding described herein. The term"bonding material" also includes labels, bands, ribbons, strings, tape,staples or combinations thereof.

The upper sleeve portion 71 remains in a position extending about thefloral grouping 48 until it is desired to remove the upper sleeveportion 71. The upper sleeve portion 71 is removed from the pot cover 56by tearing along the perforations 26 the upper sleeve portion 71 fromthe pot cover 56. The upper sleeve portion 71 then is removed from thefloral grouping 48 providing a decorative cover (not shown) for the pot38.

In addition to the perforations 26, the upper sleeve portion 71 also mayinclude perforations extending between the perforations 26 and the outerperimeter 75 of the upper sleeve portion 71 to further assist in theremoval of the upper sleeve portion 71 when it is no longer desired tokeep the upper sleeve portion 71 extending about the floral grouping 48.

Embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6

Shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is a sheet of material 10a having a sheetextension 28a connected thereto. The sheet of material 10a and the sheetextension 28a are constructed exactly like the sheet of material 10 andthe sheet extension 28 shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 and described in detailbefore, except the sheet of material 10a is circularly shaped having acircularly shaped outer perimeter 24a and the sheet extension 28a iscircularly shaped having a circularly shaped outer perimeter.

The sheet of material 10a is formed into a pot cover 56a (FIG. 6) in amanner exactly like that described before with respect to the pot cover56 (FIGS. 3 and 4), except the pot cover 56a has a skirt portion 70awith a circularly shaped appearance and a circularly shaped outerperimeter 76a defined by the circularly shaped outer perimeter 24a ofthe sheet of material 10a. The sheet extension 28a forms an upper sleeveportion of the pot cover 56a which extends a distance outwardly from theskirt portion 70a and also has a circularly shaped outer perimeter, asmentioned before.

The upper sleeve portion 71a is formed about the floral grouping 48 in amanner like that described before and secured via the bonding material72a to provide the closed end 74a.

Changes may be made in the construction and the operation of the variouscomponents, elements and assemblies described herein and changes may bemade in the steps or the sequence of steps of the methods describedherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A covering for use with a pot having a floralgrouping disposed therein, the pot having a top, a bottom, and an outerperipheral surface, the covering comprising:a pot cover having a top, aclosed bottom, an outer peripheral surface and a pot receiving spaceshaped and adapted to receive the pot, the pot cover comprising:a baseportion for covering at least a substantial portion of the outerperipheral surface of the pot disposed in the pot receiving space of thepot cover, the base portion having an upper end; and a skirt portionattached to the upper end of the base portion so as to extend from theupper end of the base portion; and an upper sleeve portion extendingfrom the skirt portion of the pot cover, the upper sleeve portion beingsized to substantially surround and encompass the floral groupingdisposed within the pot when the pot is disposed within the potreceiving space of the pot cover, and wherein the upper sleeve portionof the covering and the skirt portion of the pot cover have a pluralityof angularly arranged perforations disposed therebetween whereby theupper sleeve portion is detachable from the skirt portion by tearingalong the angularly arranged perforations, thereby forming a non-linearouter perimeter of the skirt portion of the pot cover of the covering.2. The covering of claim 1 wherein the covering further comprises abonding material disposed on a portion of the upper sleeve portion suchthat at least a portion of the upper sleeve portion is connectable viathe bonding material to form a substantially closed end of the uppersleeve portion of the covering.
 3. A covering for use with a pot havinga floral grouping disposed therein, the pot having a top, a bottom andan outer peripheral surface, the covering comprising:a pot cover havinga top, a closed bottom, an outer peripheral surface, and a pot receivingspace shaped and adapted to receive the pot, the pot cover comprising:abase portion for covering at least a substantial portion of the outerperipheral surface of the pot disposed in the pot receiving space of thepot cover, the base portion having an upper end; and a skirt portionattached to the upper end of the base portion so as to extend from theupper end of the base portion; and an upper sleeve portion extendingfrom the skirt portion of the pot cover, the upper sleeve portion beingsized to substantially surround and encompass the floral groupingdisposed within the pot when the pot is disposed within the potreceiving space of the pot cover; and wherein the upper sleeve portionof the covering and the skirt portion of the pot cover have a pluralityof curved perforations disposed therebetween whereby the upper sleeveportion is detachable from the skirt portion by tearing along the curvedperforations, thereby forming a curved outer perimeter of the skirtportion of the pot cover of the covering.
 4. The covering of claim 3wherein the covering further comprises a bonding material disposed on aportion of the upper sleeve portion of the covering such that at least aportion of the upper sleeve portion is connectable via the bondingmaterial to form a substantially closed end of the upper sleeve portionof the covering.
 5. A covering for use with a pot having a floralgrouping disposed therein, the pot having a top, a bottom, and an outerperipheral surface, the covering comprising:a pot cover having a top, aclosed bottom, an outer peripheral surface and a pot receiving spaceshaped and adapted to receive the pot, the pot cover comprising:a baseportion for covering at least a substantial portion of the outerperipheral surface of the pot disposed in the pot receiving space of thepot cover, the base portion having an upper end; and a skirt portionattached to the upper end of the base portion so as to extend from theupper end of the base portion; an upper sleeve portion extending fromthe skirt portion of the pot cover, the upper sleeve portion being sizedto substantially surround and encompass the floral grouping disposedwithin the pot when the pot is disposed within the pot receiving spaceof the pot cover, and wherein the upper sleeve portion of the coveringand the skirt portion of the pot cover have a plurality of angularlyarranged perforations disposed therebetween whereby the upper sleeveportion is detachable from the skirt portion by tearing along theangularly arranged perforations, thereby forming a non-linear outerperimeter of the skirt portion of the pot cover of the covering; and abonding material disposed on a portion of the upper sleeve portion suchthat at least a portion of the upper sleeve portion is connectable viathe bonding material to form a substantially closed end of the uppersleeve portion of the covering.
 6. A covering for use with a pot havinga floral grouping disposed therein, the pot having a top, a bottom andan outer peripheral surface, the covering comprising:a pot cover havinga top, a closed bottom, an outer peripheral surface, and a pot receivingspace shaped and adapted to receive the pot, the pot cover comprising:abase portion for covering at least a substantial portion of the outerperipheral surface of the pot disposed in the pot receiving space of thepot cover, the base portion having an upper end; and a skirt portionattached to the upper end of the base portion so as to extend from theupper end of the base portion; an upper sleeve portion extending fromthe skirt portion of the pot cover, the upper sleeve portion being sizedto substantially surround and encompass the floral grouping disposedwithin the pot when the pot is disposed within the pot receiving spaceof the pot cover, and wherein the upper sleeve portion of the coveringand the skirt portion of the pot cover have a plurality of curvedperforations disposed therebetween whereby the upper sleeve portion isdetachable from the skirt portion by tearing along the curvedperforations, thereby forming a curved outer perimeter of the skirtportion of the pot cover of the covering; and a bonding materialdisposed on a portion of the upper sleeve portion of the covering suchthat at least a portion of the upper sleeve portion is connectable viathe bonding material to form a substantially closed end of the uppersleeve portion of the covering.